DEEPWATER HP/HT COMPLETIONS WHITEPAPER

The Value of Comprehensive Well Integrity Analysis in Deep-

Ultradeepwater High-Pressure, High-Temperature Scenarios

Solving challenges.™
 DEEPWATER HP/HT COMPLETIONS WHITEPAPER

The Value of Comprehensive Well Integrity

Analysis in Deep- to Ultradeepwater High-
Pressure, High-Temperature Scenarios

Introduction
High-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT)
development creates one of the greatest
technological challenges for the oil and gas
industry. This is especially the case in deep to
ultradeep reservoirs (in excess of 20,000 psig
BHP), as well as in environments such as steam-
assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), extended-reach
development, shale gas hydraulic fracturing, and
salt zone drilling. Under these diverse scenarios,
complex loading conditions can occur. In the
case of deep to ultra-deep reservoirs, this often
includes trapped annular pressure resulting from
annular fluid expansion caused by heating up the
well during production operations. This increase
in annular pressure can overstress the casing and
tubing configuration. The well loading conditions can often surpass the design characteristics of
the equipment. If this occurs, catastrophic consequences can ensue and the well could be lost.

Therefore, wells in these types of scenarios must meet high integrity and cost standards while also
withstanding the possible complex loading conditions that might be encountered. Addressing these
challenges requires careful treatment of the tubular, fluids, cement, and formation mechanical
and thermal properties. As a result, developing a successful, reliable well design requires careful
selection of the well components during the early stages of well construction planning. For
example, when trapped annular pressure conditions are possible, completion string designs may
require the use of vacuum insulated tubing sections to help reduce radial heat transfer to the
annuli, thereby helping to mitigate trapped annular pressure.

To empower well engineers to address these challenges, Landmark developed WELLCAT™

software to help engineers design and test well configurations and equipment before downhole
operations begin. WELLCAT software’s drilling, production, casing, tubing, and multistring modules
allow the engineer to model diverse drilling and completion-production operations to capture initial
and final temperature conditions that affect casing and tubing single string stress analysis, and
the multistring loading interaction during trap annular pressure of annuli and wellhead movement.
Using it to perform well integrity analysis in deep to ultra-deep water HP/HT scenarios, engineers
are able to create well designs that can successfully withstand the extreme conditions that
often occur.

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The HP/HT Challenge

Annular pressure of a trapped fluid in excess of annular hydrostatic pressure is caused by the
presence of an isolated fluid in a sealed annulus (annuli). When the well is heated up because of
further drilling or producing events, the fluid tends to expand. Also, a mechanical response occurs
from the surrounding casing walls. Onshore operations that are exposed to the complex HP/HT
loading conditions of trapped annular pressure, jack ups, and spar-type wells allow access to any
annulus; therefore, excess pressure can be easily mitigated by bleeding it off. However, in subsea
well scenarios, except for the production annulus, other outer annuli do not allow the release
of pressure. To help prevent or mitigate the possible occurrence of trapped annular pressure in
annuli, casing-connection failure, as well as potential wellhead failure problems during the well
service life, sensitivity analysis for the drilling, completion, and production operations is performed
before operations begin.

A good understanding of well temperature regimes and wellbore heat transfer is critical for the
casing design process associated with well pressure conditions. This is particularly important
when drastic changes in wellbore temperatures are expected, such as in deepwater environments.
Temperature change between mudline and perforations depth can be hundreds of degrees
Fahrenheit. In a comprehensive tubular well integrity approach, advanced tubular design begins
with wellbore temperature transient and flow simulation of the sequence of drilling events
required until the well would reach total depth (TD), including drilling, circulation, shut-in, tripping
string, and cementing operations. The simulations are required to accurately capture the internal
pressure, external pressure, and associated axial force distribution of the initial and final casing
stress state applied to single string uniaxial burst, collapse, axial (tension, compression), and
triaxial stress analysis, including the effect of friction on casing load-displacement, buckling, and
possible maximum casing wear allowance while drilling deeper well intervals.

During the completion phase, the thermal flow displacement simulation of drilling fluid by packer/
completion fluids and completion packer setting mechanism determines the initial stress state
of the tubing(s) string, which is exposed to subsequent operation events associated with highly
transient short to long-term well flow testing, production, stimulation, injection, and shut-in events.
Throughout these operation events, temperatures can change rapidly, possibly causing extreme
and complex subtle loading conditions against the completion tubing strings and casing/liner.
Because of these circumstances, it is critical to be able to simulate these transient/steady state
production operation events, along with conventional casing, tubing uniaxial and triaxial stress
analysis, including the effect of friction on tubing load displacements, buckling, expansion joint
movement, and multiple packer loading.

Producing in HP/HT conditions requires modeling of the temperature and pressure flowing
conditions of diverse hydrocarbons that can easily be in excess of casing, tubing connection, and
packer strength limits. Therefore, in addition to procuring tubular materials of appropriate strength,
it is essential to accurately model the thermodynamic fluid properties of produced hydrocarbons to
accurately determine expected wellbore temperature and pressures.

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A comprehensive thermal flow well simulator is often required to test and qualify/certify equipment
for the expected well test conditions. Many wells around the world with bottomhole temperatures
above 300°F (149°C) are tested on a yearly basis. To identify complete operational limits, tables
with equipment specifications and mechanical characteristics of the equipment to be used must
be compiled. The electronic restrictions, where applicable, must then be evaluated. When all
of that information is collected, a computer model is built using specialized software programs
to properly analyze the different parameters that can seriously affect equipment performance
during performance of the job. That model must be reviewed, including the defined sequence of
operations. Associated parameters, such as flowing and static temperatures at the surface, sea
bed, and bottomhole, as well as flowing and static pressures, all must be carefully analyzed to
determine the status of the well. For example, triaxial forces acting on the string as a result of the
operational sequence could imply a change of input specification parameters, which could affect
well reliability.

WELLCAT software provides precise solutions for both wellbore analysis and integrated casing
and tubing design. The software calculates accurate downhole temperature and pressure profiles,
which can be used for pipe-body movement and casing and tubing load analysis. Five modules
are integrated into a common environment to provide more accurate and reliable solutions to
complex design problems. A comprehensive analysis of loads and stresses on casing and tubing is
provided, including service-life analysis. Detailed analysis of the entire casing system is provided
to understand the effects of trapped annular pressure and the interaction in the casing and
tubing systems within a well. Also, loads and their resulting wellhead movement are evaluated to
determine the integrity of the well tubulars.

Besides standard water and oil-based, composite drilling muds, brines, foam, and polymers fluid
models, WELLCAT software thermal flow simulations in HP/HT wells includes synthetic fluids (PVT
data), rheology, and thermal properties inputs to accurately predict static and dynamic downhole
pressures. Drilling operation analysis includes: detailed cementing operations (primary cementing,
squeeze cementing, spot cement plug, and inner string cementing); modeling of complex cementing

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jobs (including multiple lead, spacer fluids, displacement fluids, and cement slurries); challenges
associated with heat of hydration modeling applied to hydrates studies; and the use of the results
of these temperature and flow analysis applied to WELLCAT™ advance stress analysis modules.

Tubing Movement and Loading

Injection down the tubing and into the formation changes the wellbore pressure and thermal
conditions. These circumstances cause the tubing to either shorten or elongate. Depending on
whether the tubing is latched at the packer or is free to move, the tubing will apply a tension or
compression force on the packer or the tubing will move. The forces acting on the tubing are
burst, collapse, axial loading, and triaxial loading. Conventional casing and tubing design is based
on single-string analysis, which ignores annulus fluid heat up loads and composite cemented
string effects. Casing stress conditions in “multistring” analysis are calculated for the radially
composite structure, assuming the elastic properties of casing, cement, and formation. For HP/HT
applications, a reliable triaxial design is achieved using multistring analysis.

The objective of simulating tubing movement is to determine an appropriate weight down

recommendation for proposed treatments. Appropriate weight down refers to the weight required
to limit the tool movement during treatment. A certain amount of set down force is required to
overcome forces that would cause upward tubing movement. Because of the extreme depths
encountered in deep and ultradeep wells, cold thermal effects will generally cause the most
upward movement. Therefore, monitoring thermal conditions downhole can be paramount to
decreasing movement, and therefore, prolonging the life of the casing.

Wellhead Movement and Loading

Complex loading conditions can arise when wellhead displacement initially occurs as a
consequence of the addition of static loads during the well construction phase, as well as during
related thermal loading of drilling and completion operations, including final production events.
The goal is to design for static, thermal, and pressure wellhead loadings that will induce wellhead
displacements within the designed displacement boundaries while maintaining wellhead integrity.
Initial pipe loading, among other variables, can alter the pipe failure and movement conditions, and
must be accounted for in the final completion design. Thus, it is critical that the specifications and
operational limitations of the required equipment be considered during the planning stages of
well design.

WELLCAT™ Software – The Industry Standard for HP/HT Wells

WELLCAT software is the application of choice for deepwater and other complex well scenarios to
analyze well integrity and deliver high reliable well designs. Its combined temperature, flow, and
stress-load analysis assist in identifying and solving complex, nonintuitive, and subtle well design
challenges. Current wellbore containment screening analysis recommendations for deepwater
wells in GOM (Gulf of Mexico) quote WELLCAT capabilities to assist in the analysis of complex well
loading conditions of trap annular pressure.

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WELLCAT software can be used to model the complex well loading conditions that could potentially
affect the wellhead integrity during the life of the well. Perhaps one of the most common operation
scenarios is a highly transient, short-to-long term well flow production event, where temperatures
are changing rapidly, causing complex loading conditions for casing and completion tubing strings.
WELLCAT software’s Casing Design module can be used to analyze casing loads, design integrity,
and buckling behavior under complex mechanical, fluid pressure, and thermal-loading conditions
with standard and automatic load-case generation. Analyses can be performed in conjunction
with the Drill Design and Prod Design modules (including tubingless configurations). Applications
include: comprehensive casing design and analysis; installation and service loads; buckling
stability and post-buckling analysis, with and without centralizers; and connection strength
envelope safety factors.

WELLCAT software’s Tubing Design module analyzes tubing loads and movements, buckling
behavior, and design integrity under complex mechanical, fluid pressure, and thermal-loading
conditions with standard and automated load-case generation. Analyses can be performed in
conjunction with the Prod Design module. Applications include: comprehensive tubing design
and analysis; installation and service loads; mechanically, hydrostatically and hydraulically
setting mechanisms; packer setting sequence; tubing movement, dual completions; multiple
packer completion configurations, CRA (corrosion and erosion resistant alloy) tubulars, and yield
anisotropy, and packer envelope load check.

In a conventional rotary drilling scenario, the drilling mud is circulated, cooler fluid from the
surface is delivered to the bottom of the well, and the fluid out arrives hotter than the fluid in. The
temperature increase is related to the amount of heat exchanged. The heat exchange is related to
the mass of the fluid being circulated and the heat flux. Heat flux is the rate at which the thermal
energy is exchanged between the rock and cooling water. It follows that if an additional mass of
water is pumped, then the temperature of the return fluid is lowered.

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WELLCAT software’s Drill Design module simulates flow and heat transfer during drilling
operations, providing full transient analysis. Applications include: diverse cementing operations;
thermal flow modeling; HPHT hydraulics, downhole tool temperatures; subsea wellhead amd
BOP temperatures; hydrate inhibition program schedule; casing service loads during drilling and
multistring annular pressure buildup, and wellhead movement load history.

WELLCAT software’s Prod Design module simulates fluid and heat transfer during completion,
production, stimulation, testing, and well-servicing operations. The software allows transient
and steady-state analysis for single-phase and multiphase flow, in addition to providing initial
conditions linkage with thermal results from the Drill Design module. The module includes:
Black Oil Model, and Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE); and diagrams; hydrocarbon thermodynamic
properties, and phase diagrams with definitions of temperature-and pressure-critical points.
Applications include: temperatures and pressures for flowing and shut-in well streams, analysis
of temperatures and pressures during forward and reverse circulation; gas lift operations,
gel treatments; insulation requirements and permafrost thaw assessments; fracture and acid
stimulation jobs; tubingless well discharge temperature and flow modeling, and and multistring
annular pressure buildup and wellhead movement load history.

The Multistring Design module predicts pressure and volume changes caused by trapped annular
pressure when the well system heats up as a result of production operations or the injection of hot
fluids into the well. The Multistring Design module determines the movement that occurs to the
wellhead during the life of the well. Movement is calculated as a result of strings being run and
cemented, static loads being added or removed from the well (nipple-up BOP, hang-off drillstring
during a drive-off situation), and pressure or thermally induced loads applied to each individual
string in the well. In deep water, in particular, high temperature and high annular pressure can
cause casing strings to burst or collapse.

To not only predict but to resolve or minimize the occurrence of complex loading conditions of
trapped annular pressure developed in nonaccessible subsea annuli, WELLCAT software helps
the design engineer by providing an advanced analysis Multistring Design module that allows
sensitivity analysis of trapped annular pressure mitigation options commonly used by operators,
such as the use of insulated fluids, PVT of synthetic fluids, vacuum insulated tubing, trapped
annular pressure relief devices, and well configuration TOC options to induce trapped annular
pressure leakoff to the formation.

Case Study: Reconciling Actual vs. Predicted Bottomhole Circulating Temperature1

Wellbore instability and poor integrity problems can arise from well conditions that are initially
unknown during drilling and completions operations. Using thermal modeling and drilling fluid
analysis, engineers can identify differences between induced and natural temperature combined
with pressure conditions that can lead to nontraditional sources of instability. For example, when
circulating long, deep holes, modeling may show fluid, temperature, pressure, and density (FTPD)
related issues that aren’t revealed by any other means. Overbalanced conditions may change to

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underbalanced conditions, and initiate consequences such as kicks, formation breakouts, flow
after cementing, and stuck pipe from a collapsing hole.

In this case study, engineers using WELLCAT software successfully identified a nonformation
source of wellbore pressure. During analysis of two similar shallow-water wells, the prototype
well and one nearby that experienced a blowout during a long static time period, the thermal model
accurately identified a nontraditional source of instability in the prototype well other than a more
traditional explanation of formation gas influx. The analysis showed that the pressure changes
in the prototype well were thermally induced due to differences in mud density and pressure
due to differences in temperature, and not from a formation pore pressure source. Cooler mud
has a higher density and pressure than hotter mud, and during long shut-in periods for shallow-
water wells, cooler mud can result from temperature around the riser, and thus can enter the
wellbore. The modeling revealed hidden FTPD conditions that resulted from converting expected
overbalanced mud weight to a thermally induced under balanced mud weight which could cause
a severe, unexpected kick. Modeling for these conditions in the prototype well using WELLCAT
software can identify this nontraditional source of instability which was confirmed after the
pressure subsided and no gas was found in the annulus.

Conclusions
Deep and ultradeep HP/HT wells must be designed such that the static, thermal, and pressure
wellhead loading conditions encountered will induce wellhead displacements within the designed
displacement boundaries of the well total stiffness. Understanding thermal expansion of annular
fluids in these environments can help engineers design casing that can manage thermally induced
wellhead movement, eliminate buckling, and reduce casing collapse of inner strings or casing
bursts of outer strings during production operations.

Through the proper combination of drilling, production thermal flow simulator modules, casing
and tubing stress analysis modules, and the advanced multistring load analysis module, WELLCAT
software allows engineers to essentially simulate the entire history of events that may occur during
well construction and production operations. In doing so, WELLCAT software technology allows
engineers to develop and test well configurations and equipment to help provide safer, higher-
quality well completion designs required to operate in extreme downhole conditions.

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References
1. Rosland, H. A., Effendhy, E., and Park, S. J. 2013. HPHT Well Basis of Design Case Study:
Offshore Thailand Advanced Tubular Analyses Experience. Paper IPTC 17104 presented at the
International Petroleum Technology Conference, Beijing, China, 26–28 March.
2. Mitchell, R. A. and Sweatman, R., 2013. Wellbore Stability and Integrity Contributors Revealed
by Thermal Modeling and Fluid Analysis. Paper OTC 24072 presented at the Offshore
Technology Conference, Houston, TX, USA, May 6-9, 2013.

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